Pathogenesis: Shortly after the virus enters
a new host, it’s initial response is to infect
liver cells, called hepatocytes. The virus' main
target is the liver because the virus possesses
surface antigens specific for receptors found on
liver cells only. The binding of these viral
antigens to hepatocyte receptors induces viral
entry by receptor-mediated
endocytosis and uncoats in the
cytoplasm. Generally, the liver is
responsible for purifying blood and processing
nutrients. A healthy liver is essential to the
functioning of blood, lymph, and bile
production. If the liver fails, all other organs
in the body will soon start to fail.

Within the cytoplasm, the core particle
of the virion translocates its
content of viral DNA and DNA
polymerase into the hepatocyte nucleus.
The DNA is then organized to form a
viral mini-chromosome.
Once within the cell nucleus, the hepatitis B
genome is transcribed into mRNA (messenger RNA),
where it is subsequently translated into hepatitis B
viral surface proteins, viral core
proteins, DNA polymerase, and hepatitis
B e-antigen protein. The cell then
assembles live copies of the virus. The copies
of the virus are released from the liver cell
membrane into the bloodstream and from there can
infect other liver cells and thus replicate
effectively.